Reality bites

[OB_ducmanic]

Terra1,
Dont let it get to you. Its not your fault. The guy took him self out. If it was'nt on your bike it would have been the next one. Hang it there.
ducmanic

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Ducmanic, with all respect, I don't think Terra1 is feeling a lot of remorse over this thing.

And why should he?

If that kid hadn't taken himself out, he would have taken YOU or your sister out.

It's natural selection.

He was selected for deletion.

 

[sherm]

The only thing you know about this poor guy is that he was in his twenties and was drunk when he crashed.
This forum is full of posters who brag about how fast they ride, how good they are at running from the cops, how they do 180 in their T-shirts etc. And I'm sure some ride when they are drunk.
Now if any of these forum hot shots got hurt or killed in a crash would the rest of us just post a "sorry about that, it was his time - natural selection" . I doubt it.
Try not to make it a we-they world, it works better when its a we world. That ZX-11 rider was one of us.

 

[OB_terra1]

I stopped at a local bike shop on the way back from a Sunday ride yesterday, after riding a pretty technical mountain road. I've been up and down it at least 30-40 times on five different bikes, scares me every time.

The bike shop said they had sold my ZX-11 that I had put up on consignment, 7000 miles, great shape. A guy in his twenties bought it last weekend, "the dude said he knew how ta ride", came down the same mountain road three days ago, at night, .16 alcohol level, didn't make a tight outside curve, went off 300 hundred foot cliff, dead.

They said they'll send me the check soon. It's exactly the amount I was quoted for all my Hayabusa mods yesterday. Godspeed, dude.

 

[Guest]

Sherm - I see where you are coming from and somewhat agree in theory (in a perfect world) but in the real world I do find myself seeing things as a we-they situation. I'll try and explain without being disrespectful to the unfortunate ZX-11 fellow. Generally (simplified) it seems where I live there are basically two types of riders: Those who ride safely within their limits and take neccessary precautions and those who do not. Those who do appear to be in the tiny minority where I live. Simply put - I LIVE IN SQUIDVILLE! For some reason I seem to be about the only one that feels the need to wear protective equipment (full leathers, gloves boots etc) and one of the VERY few who always wear a helmet. Even those I see who wear helmets aren't properly dressed (shorts, ragged T-shirt, tennis shoes) I see kids on 600s popping lame wheelies, racing, occational running from cops [I hear about that on the scanner] and riding with helmetless teenage girlfriends in shorts, swimsuit top on the back right the middle of town. I feel like an outcast sometimes all geared out and actually riding properly, using blinkers and trying to be responsible. The older guys on Goldwings ride much more responsibly (maybe that's how they got to be old?) but they seldom wear proper attire and only some of them wear helmets. But rather than worry about these poor souls from now on I have come to the conclusion that I must just accept the fact that it is THEIR choice to ride this way and THEY must deal with the consequences of their choices. Drinking and riding : I can't think of a more volitile combination especially when so many don't ride properly when sober. But once again - no one FORCED them to drink and ride. It was their decision and they must face the consequences for their actions. These are choices made by each individual. They can choose to make the smart choice or they can be stupid and make the wrong choice. If they aren't smart enough to make good choices there's very little we can do after it bites them. In our state the motorcycle license manual details these choices and goes to great lengths to encourage good choices so it's not as if they never knew of their options. The riders I feel for are the ones that were making good choices and from no fault of their own were smashed by a cager not paying attention or came upon quarts of oil in the middle of the roadway - [hazards beyond their control] I would like to believe I will never be like the ZX-11 driver in the poor choices that he made and in this aspect I do feel like it is a we-they world. Hopeful we is: [Those who make smart choices] and They: [Those who don't] What if the consequences for the ZX-11 rider had been jailtime for DUI? Would we feel sorry for him that he made bad decisions? While I cannot help but feel badly for the family of the ZX-11 rider I am somewhat angry with him for the choices he made that caused his family such pain especially when he had a choice not to do so.

Hope I didn't step on any toes.

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

If you were a more loving person, you would send that blood money to the poor boy's grieving family.

Or not.


What a waste of a good ZX11!

 

[OB_hsantos]

Yeahh, it's a shame, but errors do happen more often after a certain level of alchool in blood...and...there's nothing better than making a natural evolution (higher & higher than stop at the busa), to improve driving skills ! Maybe the zx-11 was is first one ??

 

[OB_gixerfreak]

Terra,

sorry to hear about your bike. As for the dumbass who ran it off the mountain, nature has a way of getting rid of stupid people. Anyone with an IQ over 2 should know that if you get into that situation, (bullet bike
+curvy road+alcohol)that you are running up around 80% or so that you will

1) kill yourself
2) seriously injure and possibly permanantly
disable yourself
3) do either of these options to someone else

I'm just glad as someone pointed out that 3) wasn't in the dice this time. The kid is probably glad that 2 didnt happen either. I'd rather be dead than stuck in a bed drooling on myself with only my mind (if that) working. I made a deal with my brother when we got our first bikes that neither of us would ever get on a bike after drinking AT ALL. Respect em or pay the price boys!

 

[viol8r]

Ditto on most of that.

 

[OB_FalconCOP161]

One less loser Drunk on the Road. The Clean up must have been a Bitch !! YUK ))

161 ®

 

[Guest]

I'm with Cop161 on this one. Drunk Drivers get everything they deserve. good time'EM. Fortunately he didn't take anyone with him, this time. If you think I'm unsympathetic, hang around ER folks a while. A blood alcohol level of .16 would get him thrown in jail in PA.

I'm sorry for ZX11's family and friends. No matter how it happens it's a sad thing to loose a fellow rider.

Terra1 don't worry about it.

I like Mr Bear's idea though. We need to influence others whenever and however we can. The right words, at the right moment, from a respected peer, can go a long way.

 

[OB_fastzx9]

I lost a friend, roommate about two years ago in a drunk driving accident. Not only was he inebriated, but he failed to wear his seatbelt. He was coming back from a beer run (irony) when he drove his Jeep Wrangler off the road and into a ravine. The additional irony was that he was a police officer. Let's see, he didn't wear his belt, he drove while intoxicated, and he was driving way too fast!

The logical side of me got angry because he would do such a stupid thing to himself and his family, not to mention potentially someone else. The friend in me still grieves a tremendous loss and a great friend who would do absolutely anything for me. Even great people have moments of weakness and do things that they sometimes later regret. The unfortunate thing about alcohol is that it sometimes (depending on the person) takes away the ability to make completely sound decisions. I feel sorry for this guy's family and friends because I saw and felt firsthand what emotions and grief these things can bring.

It is somewhat disturbing that some of you can pass judgement on a man that you don't even know, on facts you have heard third or fourth hand, on events that are so tragic. Let's just hope that someday your stupid and idiodic actions don't take your life so tragically. We don't have to be drunk to make bad decisions that could cost us our lives. His judgement was poor and it cost him his life, but I'll be damned if I motherf**k a man that I knew nothing about. My friend Rob also made the same bad decision, but to say that he had it coming to him when he helped as many people everyday as he did and was as great of a person as he was, is just wrong!

Sorry, but this one hit home!

 

[Guest]

Your right ZX9, we shouldn't put down someone we don't know. Yes I may get the chop doing something dumb. But I won't be drunk or drugged. I will NEVER have sympathy for drunk drivers. Like you and COP161, I too have my ghosts.

[This message has been edited by Lyle (edited 31 August 1999).]

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

Falconcop, I'm not sure how old you are, and I must defer to the fact that I am sure you have seen some nasty results of losers, drunk and on drugs, messing up good innocent people's lives. BUT...

There's always another side. Kids make mistakes. The we-they idea made me think of this. As experienced riders, and especially for you Falconcop, being in uniform, it is about leadership.

We can't set a good example very well at a website. But if you can get acquainted with a young guy, or girl who is a bit too eager, has more guts than brains, look them in the eye. Tell them to straighten up and fly right.

If you make yourself a winner, most of them will admire you. If you give them good advice, most of them will follow it. Make the connection. You might save a life.

terra1, that's fate. His karma ran over his dogma.

 

[OB_fastzx9]

With sympathy, to each his own. It's just my practice not to blast someone until I know the real deal is all. Please don't misunderstand me, the act of driving under the influence is a truly brainless move. And if Robby had lived, I would have killed him myself!

Kevin - fastzx9@dragbike.com

 

[OB_emattson]

1 DUI RIDE.
Sold as is.
No refunds and no exchanges.
No Rainchecks.
__________________________
Price: 1 life...

 

[OB_Dingo]

In truth, the ZX-11 rider got his own butt on to the seat after consuming alcohol. And, it was his own impulses that took him to a curvy road that, from the first post, is a real zinger. I can only shake my head.

There is enough saturation of information regarding drunk driving from the media that no one in what we call society today can honestly get into that kind in situation and be termed ignorant. Choices were made, and they culminated in a death.

I agree with Mr. Bear's assessment of what to try to do to those that still are living. That's the worthwhile cause. They aren't dead yet, and still have chances to make more ground on the learning curve.

We can't wring our hands over someone who made their own choices. Even if he (I'm assuming it's a he) didn't have total control by the end due to alcohol, he sure took the choices that got him to that point. My condolences do go to those he left behind. Besides siblings and parents, I sincerely hope he hadn't gone off and gotten himself married (and kids! Sheesh). A lot of changes can happen to one in their twenties.

I don't subscribe to the we/they scenario. I doubt many of those that write here do . . . though, to be honest, reading people's text responses is a poor way to tell how they really feel. It's really easy to infer something that was never implied to begin with. From the posts here, I can see several spins on how people see terra1 feeling.

Hmm, I feel like rambled here a bit, but, heck, it's early in the morning. I'll just hit the post button. To recap:

My condolences to family.
Stick to those you can still help.
No condolences to one who died by their own hand (though a sense of sadness is present).

And, off the original topic:
Careful what you infer in other's textual communication, it's a poor medium through which to emote.

 

[OB_Cisco San Jose]

Sorry to read about the rider getting killed and my heart goes out to the family.Save a friend/riders life,if you're at a party and booze is involved and you see a fellow rider/friend drinking way too much where he can not operate a motorcycle/car,please take away the keys and have them sleep it off for the night.It is better to have a pissed off friend/rider than a dead rider.My 2cents

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Nothing like a little death and dismemberment to get people's emotions running.

When you ride, the close presence of death is a part of the deal. Maybe the whole deal.

"Safe motorcycling" is an oxymoron.

I cannot believe that anybody in this forum, given the type bike you have all chosen, rides "safely" (read: conservatively) all the time. Speaking only for myself and the guys I ride with regularly, I ride as safely as I can some of the time, and especially when I am riding alone which is most of the time.

But you put me in with the right guys and no passengers on anyone's bikes, and I always start to push it. A little dicing, trying to pull friends faster through corners, very high speed sprints, burning rubber, standing on the seat, wheelies, risky traffic passing, dragging strangers.

And I KNOW you do it too!

Bikes are a drug and they change you when you get on them. Typing words about them is different from riding them.

When you are typing about riding, you are safe, thoughtful and very relaxed.

When you are riding a bike like a Busa, the opposite is true. You're buzzed.

With death so close whenever you ride, you've got to come to terms with it or you'll ride scared...and that's REAL dangerous.

I accept that I am an sugar on my bike sometimes. I like that side of me and nothing brings it out like a real fast machine and some testosterone-filled friends on bikes that move.

I can't weep when a guy dies on his bike. I only hope he died happy. What was he thinking as he tumbled in the black void? Were I sober enough, I'd be thinking about my family and children and I'd smile.

"No man fears death, only the stroke of it."